


Something Old, Something New

by CaffeineAddict94



Category: Daria (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, College, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/F, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Fun, High School, Humor, Lesbian Character, Prom, Romance, Sexuality, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 05:07:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5992654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeineAddict94/pseuds/CaffeineAddict94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Quinn's senior prom but things don't go as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Old, Something New

**Something Old, Something New**

 

"I can't believe I invited you to this".

Jane Lane stood on the Morgendorffer's doorstep like she had several times before though this was no ordinary circumstance. She stopped striking a pose for long enough to assess the frustrated pout on the face of the petite redhead before her. Quinn was nothing if not opinionated and she wore her emotions all over her face, unlike her older sister. While Jane expected annoyance and maybe a bit of anger, she was surprised to see that Quinn's eyes said 'impressed'.

"Come on, I look pretty good right?", Jane absently brushed some hair away from her face, still unused to the new style, "Certainly more than enough for a Lawndale High event. I had one of the theater kids fit me for this. It's  _vintage._ Is that refined enough for your tastes?"

"You really _have_ been at art school".

"I'm serious, how do I look?"

Quinn took a step closer, hazel eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized Jane's suit. Despite the Fashion Club ending their reign of terror last summer, the girl still had an eye for detail. Though Jane had spent hours ensuring that her collar was ironed and her shirt was tucked in, that didn't mean she didn't miss something. If anything was off, Quinn would let Jane know. After what felt like an eternity, she stood up straight, briefly smoothing out the bottom of her light blue mermaid dress. She, of course, looked perfect though she was a lot more toned down than Jane expected. It was her senior prom, after all. Jane thought she'd be greeted by glitter and jewelry and gems. Quinn's only accessory was a small silver bangle. Even her hair was styled normally though it appeared that she'd gotten highlights. A small accent but one nonetheless. Jane found herself staring, much to her embarrassment. _Cool it, Lane. Don't freak her out._

"You look...good", Quinn motioned for Jane to follow her inside, "The suspenders are a nice touch. But a bow tie? Really?"

"I think it makes me look dignified".

"If that's what you wanna call it".

The voice belonged to none other than Daria herself, she only having just gotten done with her second semester. Jane managed to talk her out of taking summer classes, something that sounded absolutely ungodly in Jane's opinion. She was comfortably dressed in flannel pajama shorts and a Raft sweatshirt, hair tied back into a low ponytail. She was sitting in the living room, TV turned to some B-grade sci-fi movie.

"You're just jealous that I look better in a suit than you do".

"Can't argue with that logic".

Jane rolled her eyes before gazing around, realizing that the house was remarkably devoid of annoying parental involvement, "Where's your mom? I thought she'd be all over this."

Daria motioned for Jane to stop talking but the damage was already done. Quinn looked up from struggling to adjust her heels, face contorted into a scowl.

" _She's_ far too busy at work and she's _so_ sorry but she'll  _definitely_ make it up to me. What a load of crap".

"Sorry. I shouldn't have asked".

Quinn shrugged as she grabbed her clutch from the coffee table, "Not like you meant anything by it. Guess we should go".

Jane noticed the hesitancy in Quinn's tone but she decided not to bring down the mood any more than she already had. If anything, she would try her hardest to make sure that the night went off without a hitch. 

"After you, _mademoiselle_ ", she put on her best faux-French accent as she opened the front door, waving her arm with a flourish.

Quinn shook her head but there was a smile on her face; a good sign. Jane went to follow her out but not before waving goodbye to her best friend.

"You crazy kids don't have too much fun. I mean it. I'm not bailing you out of jail this time around. I don't have the money".

"Yeah yeah, Scout's honor and all that. Don't wait up too late!"

Jane headed outside, fishing Trent's car keys out of her pocket. It wasn't the most glamorous ride but at least he'd taken it for a tune-up recently. The last thing Jane needed was for it to crap out halfway to the school. Her first instinct upon getting into the car was to crank the radio but she held back, knowing that Quinn wouldn't be too thrilled about hearing The Cure on full blast. Quinn settled into the passenger's seat, her face still betraying her apprehension. She glanced at the dashboard clock and then back at the road, eyebrows knitting together.

"We're going to be late"

"Oh, sorry. I guess I took a little long".

"No, it's not you. It's just...forget it. Let's just go and we'll get there when we get there".

Jane shrugged before starting up the car, equal parts nervous and excited. While a high school prom wasn't at the top of her list of priorities, it would be interesting to see what-if anything-had changed. She could only imagine what the rest of the night would entail.

* * *

 

The night was shaping up to be a miserable one and it had only just begun.

To be fair, Quinn had low expectations from the start, knowing that it wouldn't be nearly as magical as she imagined it to be when she was fourteen. For one, her life had drastically changed since then and she wasn't as easily impressed. She'd stopped wasting all of her time at the mall and started seriously hunkering down on her schoolwork, managing to bring up her struggling GPA with a lot of hardwork and determination. As a result, she ended up losing a lot of her friends. While she still hung out with Stacy on a nearly daily basis, things with Sandi and Tiffany hadn't gone well. Sandi said that she was being 'selfish' by neglecting them and that she wasn't a very good friend at all if she could desert them without a second thought. She hadn't deserted them; she'd just realized that she needed time to figure out who she was. Alone. She knew it would be a chore explaining any of it to Sandi and so they went their separate ways. Tiffany, of course, sided with Sandi and the group split into two. It wasn't too much of a problem, especially considering that the Fashion Club was no more, but that didn't mean it wasn't a hard pill to swallow.

To add insult to injury, Sandi had taken to spreading rumors about her behind her back. Sure, they were usually so transparent that Quinn didn't even bother getting offended but it did seem to have a large impact on her social standing. She refused to stoop to Sandi's level, knowing that retaliation would only make matters worse, and so she suffered in silence. Even a lot of the guys stopped hanging around, including Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie. Quinn couldn't say that wasn't a relief, a large part of her hating that she had them following her around anywhere. It wasn't that she didn't think they were nice; it was just that she had no interest in them.

"Oh man, this place has gotten worse. I didn't think that was possible".

Quinn looked to her left as Jane strolled along beside her, bright blue eyes lighting on the brand new security cameras. Ms. Li had upped the anti since Daria and Jane graduated and there was no doubt in Quinn's mind that the place would resemble a prison by the time their ten year reunion rolled around. Quinn couldn't help but steal quick glances at her unlikely prom date as they headed towards the gym, part of her still not believing that the girl standing next to her was indeed the same Jane. For one, she'd clearly gained some muscle tone, probably from spending a lot more of her downtime running than she had in high school. She'd also changed her hair, something that Quinn actually thought suited her a lot more than her old style. Even without the red lipstick and jacket, she was still very much Jane-her personality not changing in the slightest. It was kind of refreshing, especially seeing as so much else in Quinn's life had shifted dramatically. They came to a halt a few feet outside of the double doors, the loud thump of music audible even with the doors closed.

"Well, here we are".

Jane eyed her closely, "Okay, what's wrong? You're not jumping for joy or rushing to be the first in line for photos."

"Who cares? None of this matters anyway".

"Whoa, okay. Have you decided to take Daria's place in her absence? Because, no offense, but cynicism doesn't really suit you".

"...No...I don't know", Quinn sighed, "I just know everyone's going to be judging me and I'll judge everyone else and everyone will just be trying to be better than the person standing next to them".

Jane smirked, "So, it'll be high school, then?"

"That's easy for you to say. You're already done. I've got three more weeks of this".

"Quinn, relax. If anything, everyone will be too busy trying to figure out who the strapping young lad you've brought as your date is to be thinking about anything else".

Quinn tried to smile but she was really dreading walking into the room. She invited Jane because she knew that she'd be able to make her laugh even in the worst situations, however, she wasn't sure if even Jane's good humor would be enough to cheer her up.

"Hold on, I've got just the thing for this". Jane glanced around the deserted hall, a mischievous grin on her face as she took a few steps closer. Quinn didn't expect the hint of lavender, the scent decidedly more  
feminine than the outfit Jane was wearing. Quinn eyed her suspiciously, wondering just what insane idea Jane was about to propose. She'd heard enough about her high-jinks from Daria to know that she should be on high alert.

"What are you-"

"Keep your voice down, kid", Jane opened her suit jacket, gesturing towards her inside front pocket. There was a small but obvious flask secreted away, "I've come prepared".

Quinn wasn't as stunned as she thought she would be, "I can't believe you brought that. It's like a bad 80's movie".

"Give me some more credit here", Jane pulled it out of her pocket, quickly unscrewing the cap, "I'm not gonna get you wasted. There's barely anything in here anyway".

"What is it?", Quinn asked as Jane offered her the flask.

"Fireball"

"Oh, gross!"

Jane shrugged as she took a drink, only grimacing slightly, "It's not so bad. I mean, about as good as losing brain cells can be".

Quinn weighed the pros and cons in her head, deciding that one swig wouldn't kill her. She took the flask from Jane's outstretched hand, briefly sniffing it before taking a quick drink. The alcohol immediately burned her throat and she could feel it making a path downwards, the sting settling in her chest. She coughed a few times which elicited a chuckle from Jane.

"God, that is awful. It's like eating cinnamon".

"You survived", Jane slid the flask back into her pocket before offering Quinn her arm, "Shall we?"

Quinn looped her arm with Jane's, already anticipating the reactions she would get from her peers. _Here goes nothing._

* * *

"Oh my god, is that Quinn?"

"No way", Tiffany shook her head in disbelief, "If that's Quinn then who's that guy she's with?"

"That is _not_ a guy".

Sandi Griffin hadn't moved from her spot near the far wall since she arrived, in a foul mood ever since Skylar Feldman stood her up. She'd gotten the most expensive dress at Cashman's and now she had to deal with the shame and embarrassment of not having a date. Nobody dared to comment on the fact that she was alone, at least not to her face. She knew for a fact that the rumor mill was probably already churning and she'd have to play damage control on Monday. She was already trying to concoct an elaborate story, one that nobody would be able to refute. Thankfully, Skylar at least had the decency not to show up to prom at all. She'd be mortified if she found out that he was there with anyone else.

Quinn's appearance gave her something else to occupy her attention for which she was grateful. While Tiffany certainly meant well, she could be a bore to talk to. Sandi kept her gaze focused on the opposite side of the room, still trying to wrap her head around what was going on. Quinn barely looked like she'd tried, the dress itself being the only indication that she remembered it was prom. Even still, much to Sandi's chagrin, she managed to steal the attention away from most of the other girls in the room. If there was one thing that Sandi had always hated about Quinn, it was the fact that she could look good without even trying. How was that fair? She shifted her eyes over to Quinn's 'date', though she used the term loosely. After all, there was no way Quinn that could seriously be with someone like _that_. For one, she was totally butch even if her outfit was fitted properly. She did look sort of familiar though Sandi couldn't place her, knowing for a fact that she hadn't seen her around Lawndale recently. It was just like Quinn to pull a stunt like this for attention.

"Do you think that's Quinn's, like, boyfriend or something?"

Sandi let out an exasperated sigh, "First of all, Tiffany, Quinn's...guest...is certainly not a boy".

"Sooo, that's her girlfriend?"

"No! Jeeze, Tiffany, I think we would _know_ if Quinn was...like  _that_."

"Hm. Okay.", Tiffany took a sip of her fruit punch, shifting her focus elsewhere, "Hey, isn't that Skylar?"

Sandi felt her jaw clench involuntarily, "What? Don't be ridiculous. He's not here".

"Yeah, he is", Tiffany gestured towards the caterers, "Right there".

Sandi followed her gaze, mouth dropping open in shock, "Stacy?!"

* * *

 

It was hard for Jane to stop herself from grinning like a fool given the dumbstruck looks she was receiving. The attention was nice, even if it was purely confusion. She lived to shake things ups. Even Quinn seemed marginally more relaxed though that was most likely the whiskey taking effect. As much as Jane had seen Quinn throughout her friendship with Daria, they didn't get many opportunities to talk one-on-one. At first, Jane labelled her as just another make-up obsessed airhead like most of the other girls she hung around with. However, as time wore on, she started to see that Quinn had a surprising amount of depth for someone that wore crop-tops and cherry lip-gloss. Apparently, she'd grown a lot in the year that Jane had been away from home.

"So, you're a mathelete now? Isn't that kind of...geeky?"

"Well, yeah, but...I like it", Quinn leaned back against the wall, "I never knew how good I was at math until Mrs. Bennett talked to me about my test scores. It's kinda cool. Ya know, in a nerdy way".

Jane nodded, "And DeMartino is finally retiring?"

"Yep. Doctor's orders. I think another year of teaching Kevin would've killed him".

"Poor kid. I'm surprised he's not here, actually".

Quinn snickered, "Yeah right. Nobody wanted to take the Super Senior to prom. He's not as popular as he was before. He's still on the team but it's not nearly as impressive. Enough about this place: how's school?"

"Pretty nice, actually", Jane smiled, "I mean, sharing a bathroom with three other people isn't exactly difficult for me and having my own kitchen is a pretty nice perk".

"See, that's what I want. Apartment style dorms are so much better. Not like what Daria has to deal with".

"Your sister's just too sensitive about her personal space. She's warming up to it."

"I can tell. So, what brought on the new look? Was that like, your initiation or something?"

Jane absently ran her hand over the back of her head, still getting used to having it partially shaved, "I was bored and Kelly's pretty decent with a set of clippers".

"Is that one of your roommates?"

"Yeah, she's cool. She likes _Sick, Sad World_ and veggie pizza so she's a pretty good fill-in whenever Daria's busy. Plus, she's great with ink."

"Are you two, like...dating?"

Jane stifled a laugh, "God no. She's just my friend. I'm flying solo. What about you? Aren't your three hanger-ons supposed to be clambering to grab you a soda by now?"

"No, we don't really talk anymore. Thankfully".

"I thought you liked being the center of attention? Guys fighting over you, offering to buy you fancy dinners, buying you expensive presents. What's not to like?"

Quinn loosely crossed her arms, "...That wasn't really me. That was just...who I thought I _had_ to be".

"You Morgendorffers really need to loosen up".

Before Quinn could say anything more, Jane noticed a familiar face coming their way. Stacy Rowe was headed in their direction with her apparent date trailing along behind her. Jane was surprised to find that she was smiling, no hint of worry or dread visible on her face. Stacy was almost a perpetual ball of anxiety, nearly everything setting her off into a panic. Jane avoided her for that very reason but it seemed that she was doing a lot better than the last time Jane had seen her. She gave Quinn a quick hug once she arrived, practically radiating with happiness. 

"You look great!", Stacy turned to give Jane a quick once-over, "You do too! It's Jane, right?"

"Uh, yeah", Jane was surprised she even remembered her, let alone recognized who she was, "Hey".

Quinn let out a sigh of relief, "I'm so glad you're here. Everyone's been staring at us since we got in".

"I know what you mean. I was worried that I picked the wrong dress or something".

"No, you look nice. That color really compliments your skintone".

"Really? Thanks, Quinn!", she briefly looked around the room, "...Have you seen Sandi? I know she was supposed to be here".

"I thought you said you guys didn't talk anymore?", Jane asked, dreading the thought of running into Sandi for even just a few seconds.

Quinn frowned, "We don't. But that doesn't mean she's not here probably trying to throw us under the bus".

"Isn't that what she always does?", Jane rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't worry about it. The best way to deal with her is by having a good time".

Stacy shrugged, "I guess she has a point. I mean, why let Sandi ruin our night, right?"

"Yeah, you're right", Quinn motioned towards the left-side of the gym, where there was a sign displayed for photos, "Maybe we should get our picture taken? I doubt the line's as long now".

"You want a picture? The memory won't be emotionally scarring enough?"

"Come on, Jane, it'll be fun!" Stacy smiled, "After all, you wouldn't want to waste that outfit, right?"

Jane quirked an eyebrow, "Say no more. I've been persuaded".

They headed towards the opposite side of the room, Quinn and Stacy chatting about some test they'd taken yesterday afternoon. As bizarre as it all was, Jane found that she was enjoying herself. Considering the fact that she'd skipped out on her own prom, both she and Daria deciding that an anti-prom consisting of pizza and cheesy horror movies would be better, this wasn't a bad substitute. After all, she didn't have to deal with her own classmates which was an obvious plus. The second bonus was the fact that she was finally comfortable enough to dress how she wanted. She couldn't imagine how uncomfortable she would've been in a ballgown. She hung back while Stacy and Quinn analyzed backgrounds and pose options, part of her wondering how Quinn felt about the whole situation. She obviously had no qualms about asking Jane to escort her, something that Jane still couldn't wrap her head around. After all, there had to be plenty of people that Quinn could've gone with even if she wasn't as popular as she used to be. Even Daria had found the situation confusing once Jane relayed the information to her. Jane tried not to over-analyze it but it was difficult not to. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on.

* * *

"I hope you're happy with yourself".

Quinn finished washing her hands, purposely ignoring the voice of the last person she wanted to deal with right now. She'd just gotten done dancing with Jane, something she swore she would never do but something she relented on once Jane teased her enough. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, though Jane was a much better dancer than she was. She could feel Sandi's eyes boring holes into her back as she went to dry her hands, knowing that she wouldn't leave until she was done saying whatever she had to say. Quinn didn't want to deal with an argument but it seemed the universe had other plans.

"I don't know what that's supposed to mean".

Sandi glared, "This stunt you're pulling. Of course you have to make prom all about you".

"What are you talking about?"

"That girl you brought with you. Obviously some people need to go to great lengths to get attention".

"Her name is Jane. She went to school here? Just last year?", Quinn said evenly, trying to bite her tongue, "And she's my date".

"Your date?", Sandi laughed, " _She_ obviously has issues."

Quinn let out a frustrated sigh, turning to fix Sandi with a glare of her own. She didn't care much about what Sandi had to say but she wouldn't stand by while she insulted Jane.

"There's nothing wrong with her. _You're_ the one that has issues".

"It's just a shame that you're using her to, like, fix your popularity. You should get over it; the year's almost over anyway".

"Listen, SANDI, I don't know what you think and I honestly don't care. Just leave me alone".

Quinn prepared to leave the bathroom, grabbing her clutch from where she'd left it near the sink. She was annoyed but she knew that Sandi was only trying to get a rise out of her. Just as she neared the door, Sandi said something that stopped her in her tracks.

"I can't believe this. You _like_ her. Tiffany was right." 

Quinn could feel heat creeping up the back of her neck and she prayed that her ears wouldn't turn as red as her hair, something that always happened whenever she was nervous. She looked over her shoulder, stomach dropping as she took in the smug look on Sandi's face. She swallowed hard, not knowing whether she should deny it or not. She knew that she'd only end up making things worse and so she simply stood up taller before walking out of the room, not sparing Sandi a second glance.

She practically sprinted up the hall, high heels clicking loudly with each step. She wanted to hide somewhere until the night was over and hope that Sandi would somehow take pity on her and keep her mouth shut. While she'd certainly dealt with embarrassing rumors before, this was an entirely different ballgame. Other rumors she could brush off and have smoothed over easily, mostly because they were entirely false. This wouldn't be so easy to sweep under the rug.

Sexuality was something that Quinn never thought much about. Growing up, she was aware that she was pretty and that garnered her a lot of attention from boys, even as a kid, but she didn't put much stock into it. Sure, she used it to her advantage sometimes but so did plenty of other people. She went on tons of dates but the thought of actually kissing one of her suitors always made her sick. She tried to tell herself that it was only because she didn't like them which is why she dated so many different people. She was certain that at least one had to get her attention. She was positive that she'd solved the mystery when she developed a crush on David but after he burned her, she found that she was really just happy that someone recognized her intelligence for once in her life. As the summer wore on, she started to delve deeper into who she was, finding that there were a lot of things she kept buried. The major one being her kind of, sort of, maybe crush on her sister's best friend.

It started out innocently enough. While Jane was always a bit strange to Quinn, she did admire her creative spirit. Jane was bold and outgoing, a definite contrast to Daria who was always more withdrawn and  
standoffish. Quinn liked that Jane was charismatic and she didn't mind being the butt of a few jokes if it meant that she got to hang around her. It wasn't until the end of her sophomore year that she realized her feelings went a bit deeper. Jane certainly wasn't unattractive and Quinn found herself staring more often than not. It was always something she went out of her way to cover up, both out of shame and fear. She knew that her friends wouldn't approve but she was far less worried about her parents, knowing that they'd be less critical of her choices. Daria, though, was another story. There was no way she'd be happy knowing that Quinn was pining after her best friend. Quinn was so distracted by her own thoughts that she ran right into someone.

"Ouch! Oh, there you are. I was just about to send out a search party".

Jane reached out to steady Quinn, slender fingers grasping her shoulders. Quinn nearly jumped out of her skin, stumbling a few steps backwards.

Jane held up her hands in a gesture of good faith, "Sorry! Are...you alright? You look a little out of it".

"Yeah, you just...scared me."

"What's wrong?", Jane's smile faltered, "You don't look too happy".

Quinn realized that she was tearing up though, thankfully, she wasn't crying. She quickly wiped her eyes, turning so Jane wouldn't see how red her face was getting.

"It's nothing. Just...stupid".

"If it was so stupid, you wouldn't be upset."

"It's just Sandi", Quinn kept her eyes glued to the floor, "She was just...saying really rude things. I don't know. I let her get to me".

"Hey", Jane cautiously put a hand on her shoulder, "Sandi's an idiot. She's probably just jealous that you're having a nice night and she's trying to drag you down to her level".

Quinn didn't move away this time, finding the small gesture comforting, "...I know. I couldn't stand there though, not when she was saying all that crap about you and me-"

"You know what I said earlier about just having a good time and not letting her bother you?"

"...Yeah, I-"

Jane pulled out her flask again, taking a sip before handing the rest to Quinn, "I changed my mind. I've got an idea".

"Um...okay", Quinn drank what little was left in the container, the taste not as awful as it had been the first time, "Should I be worried?"

"Just follow me. You're gonna love this".

* * *

 

The parking lot was empty, much to Jane's delight, which meant that her plan could be set into motion without interruptions. Quinn stood off to the side while she dug through the mess that was in Trent's trunk, knowing that she'd left some of her art supplies from school that she'd been too lazy to unpack yet. She'd rifled through boxes full of oil paints, chalk pastels, and sketchpads but she'd still had yet to unearth what she was looking for. She prayed that she hadn't left it back at school, or worse, that Trent had taken it for one of his many sources of inspiration. If that was the case, she could give up the hunt now. Just as she was about to scramble for a plan B, her fingers closed around something metal.

"Ah ha!", she said as she pulled out two brand new cans of red spray paint, "Now we're talking".

Quinn looked from her to the spray paint can, confusion still written all over her face, "What are you going to do with that? It's not like you can get close enough to Sandi to actually spray her or something".

"Oh please, you think I'm going to waste perfectly good paint on that? You've gotta think bigger!" Jane tossed her a can.

"I don't know what you're talking about".

"We're gonna do a little graffiti. I've always wanted to tag something".

"What?!", Quinn lowered her voice, "We can't do that! We could get, like, arrested or fined or both! Not to mention that Ms. Li will probably totally flip and not let me graduate and-"

"Slow down!", Jane sighed, "Nothing is going to happen because we're not going to get caught. Did Li install those fancy cameras on the field?"

Quinn shook her head, "Not yet. I'm sure she's cooking up another fundraiser to make that happen though".

"Then we're in the clear. Let's go".

Quinn reluctantly followed Jane's lead as they cut through the parking lot, making their way around the back of the school to the football field. It seemed much bigger at night, the moon illuminating only part of the expanse of grass. Jane didn't hesitate to jog towards the center line, already itching to start painting. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Quinn took her time making her way over. She'd abandoned her heels, most likely so she would have an easier time walking. Jane shook up her spray can before popping off the cap, already visualizing the image she would create.

"Um, what should I do?"

Jane moved across, half crouched, as she sprayed a line of paint horizontally across several feet, "If you could say anything to Sandi, what would it be?"

"Ha. I can think of a few things".

"Keep it short, we've only go so much grass", Jane said with a smirk, "I'm leaving our resident primadonna a little portrait. Though, I think it would be better with a message".

Quinn smiled, a real genuine smile and Jane couldn't help but smile back. 

* * *

 

**SANDI SUX**

It wasn't the most eloquent statement she'd ever written but it got the point across. Jane's rendering of the former Fashion Club president more than made up for it, a huge composition that everyone would definitely see come Monday. Quinn stood back to admire their handiwork, feeling world's better than she had all week. Jane added a few more sprays to Sandi's hair, the result making her look like a crazed maniac. Quinn covered her mouth as she held back a laugh, already imagining how raving mad Sandi would be upon seeing what they'd done. Jane capped her spray paint can before sauntering over to where Quinn was standing, leaning against the chain-link fence next to her. 

"I told you that it would be fun. Jane Lane does not disappoint". 

"Please don't talk about yourself in the third person".

"Alright, noted", Jane pulled up her sleeve, looking down at her thin leather wristwatch, "We've still got about...thirty minutes".

"Is that your subtle way of telling me that you want to catch the last song?"

"Don't be intimidated by my dancing skills. Maybe I can teach you sometime-"

The sound of a door closing caught both of their attention and they looked at each other, both wearing expressions of shock. 

"Who's out there?", came the commanding voice of Ms. Li, though neither of them could see her, "Any illicit behavior will be reported to the police!"

"That certainly sounds familiar", Jane said with an eye roll, "Come on, let's go. I promised Daria that we'd stay out of jail". 

Quinn looked towards the field, realizing that she'd left her clutch out in the grass. Jane followed her gaze, blue eyes widening. 

"Quinn, no."

"I can't leave my stuff out there! They'll know it was me!"

Jane started to protest but Quinn cut her off, rushing her way back towards one of the goalposts. She quickly snatched up her clutch and the rogue spray paint can she'd left behind, looking around wildly for any sign of her principal. It was difficult to see much in the dark and she started to worry that she'd be caught at any moment. Before she had time to truly panic, she was lifted off the ground and then she was moving. It took her a few seconds to register the fact that Jane now had her hoisted up over her shoulder and that she was being rushed across the football field much faster than she could hope to run on her own. She was impressed by Jane's speed, even when carrying an extra 110 pounds, but she was also annoyed about being caught off-guard. 

"What are you doing?!"

"Making our escape", Jane called, "What does it look like?"

"I think I'm going to be sick"

"Hey! No vomiting! That's not on the agenda!"

Quinn closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down, "Okay. I'm okay. I think". 

"Good because I need you to get in the car". 

Quinn opened one eye, noticing the fact that she was now standing on the passenger's side of Trent's aging Plymouth Satellite. She shook her head before climbing into her seat, still worried that they were being tailed by Li. Jane practically dove into the driver's seat, not even strapping her seatbelt on before she peeled out of their parking space. She quickly flew out of the parking lot, the speed not doing anything to settle Quinn's nerves. She rolled down a window, the fresh air helping somewhat. Jane reached forward to click on the radio, filling the car with the sounds of Robert Smith. 

"I know this song", Quinn tapped her head thoughtfully, "It's...Friday I'm In Love, right?"

Once Jane had put enough distance between the school and them, she slowed her speed to an easy 45 MPH, "Yeah, it is actually. You know it?"

"I listen to this stuff too, you know. Daria is my sister after all". 

"Good point", Jane sighed, "You hungry?"

"Starving. I could go for a burger". 

Jane nodded before turning a corner, "Say no more. Cluster Burger, here we come!"

* * *

The dashboard read 11:30 PM by the time they finally arrived back at the Morgendorffer's. Jane put the car in park, reflecting on how surreal the entire night had been. She could honestly say that she'd had more fun than she'd had in months and that was truly saying something. What started out as something simple had evolved into much more. Jane never thought she could learn so much about one person in such a short amount of time. Quinn managed to constantly surprise her, proving that she was much more than just a pretty face. She looked over at Quinn, who was idly rolling up the sleeves of the suit jacket that Jane had let her wear, the sheer length of it comical by comparison. They were sitting in silence, though it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. Jane was in no rush to get home, still wired despite the events of the evening. Quinn similarly was making no moves to exit the car, apparently not wanting the night to end either. 

"So", Jane said, pausing to clear her throat, "That was...nice". 

"Yeah. It was. Thanks again for dinner. And for, you know, agreeing to this. I know it was just a dumb high school thing but-"

"Don't thank me. If I didn't want to come, I wouldn't have said yes". 

"Hm. Yeah", Quinn mumbled, eyes focused on her lap, "Still". 

Jane smiled, "Make sure to videotape Sandi's reaction for me. I have got to see the look on her face when-"

The last thing Jane expected was for Quinn to lean over and kiss her but it seemed fitting considering everything else that had gone on. It was quick, barely a brush of lips, and yet Jane found herself blushing. Quinn pulled back fast, hiding her face with her hands. Jane struggled to think of something to say, disbelief making it hard for her to process words. She'd certainly kissed plenty of people, that wasn't the issue. This wasn't just any old person; this was _Quinn_. The same girl she used to make jokes about, the same one that nearly drove her crazy when she was forced to take her in one weekend. As great as their night had gone, Jane still wanted to pull back. Maybe she was just confused or bored or...something. She couldn't possibly have feelings for her...could she?

"I'm such an idiot", Quinn muttered, voice muffled through her hands, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"You are NOT stupid. Far from it, actually", Jane sighed, "I...don't really know what to say. I guess I...you surprised me is all". 

Quinn slowly slid her hands away from her face, cheeks a flush of crimson, "...You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad? Confused, yes. Startled, yes. But not mad". 

"I don't know. You're so cool and cute and I'm just...Daria's kid sister". 

"You must have me mistaken for someone-", Jane stopped, "Did you just call me cute?"

Quinn's face turned an even darker shade of red, "Um...look, I...I really like you and I think you're really attractive and I had such a good time hanging out with you and I wish we could hang out again maybe soon but that's not going to happen because you're in college with a bunch of other artsy people and I'm not creative at all and-"

This time, Jane was the one to make a move. She leaned in, slender fingers sliding along Quinn's jaw as she brought her face forward. She kissed her gently, admiring how soft her lips were, knowing that things had changed between them forever. She broke away slowly, smiling at the stunned look on Quinn's face. 

"...Thanks for the compliment. I'm flattered. Really. And, to answer your question, we can hang out whenever you want. I've got the whole summer. Why don't you can call me in the morning? Or I'll call you. Something". 

"Yeah. That sounds like a plan", Quinn blinked a few times, still dazed, "Um...guess I should go before everyone starts freaking out".

"Probably a good idea. I'll, uh, talk to you soon then?"

Quinn took her time getting out of the car, pausing just as she stepped outside, "You will. Thanks. Again. For everything". 

"Don't mention it. Goodnight, Quinn".

"Night, Jane".

Jane watched as she jogged towards the front door, waiting until she'd disappeared inside the house before she started up the engine. Her stomach was doing somersaults as she guided the car down the road, mind racing about a mile a minute. There were any number of directions for things to go, most of which made Jane more nervous. She did her best to keep her cool as she parked the car near the mailbox, part of her dreading the eventual conversation she'd have to have with Daria. She sighed as she stepped out of the car, wanting nothing more than a hot shower and her bed. Whatever happened, whenever it happened, she'd be ready for it. 


End file.
